Harry Styles in Watermelon Sugar

Harry Styles Makes History as the First Man To Grace the Cover of Vogue and Fans Love It

Harry Styles really said "f**k your gender norms" and you really do love to see it.

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Being a fan of Harry Styles from his time in One Direction means that I’ve had the luxury of watching him grow from what they were trying to make him out to be in the boyband (I’ll never forget the theories about the band’s management) to the Harry Styles we know and love today.

A man who confidently enjoys pushing the boundary in regards to gender “norms” in clothing, Harry has become somewhat of a fashion icon, cohosting the 2019 Met Gala in bespoke Gucci. If any man were to grace the cover of Vogue, Harry seems an ideal pick, but even we weren’t ready for the looks he ended up serving.

Harry retains an incredibly loyal fanbase and continues to grow said base through his new music and his actions. His latest message, which has been about kindness, is one that rings incredibly true today (on World Kindness Day) as well as in the general landscape of 2020 as a whole. And his fans are there to amplify that messageā€”and today, to also weigh in on the cover.

Because … this new VogueĀ cover that Harry took on? It’s a whole different level of amazing.

Making history as the first man to grace the cover of the coveted magazine, Styles did it, well, in style.

In the magazine interview, Styles’ fascination with clothing and the clear joy it brings him to experiment and have fun shines through.

“You can never be overdressed. Thereā€™s no such thing. The people that I looked up to in musicā€”Prince and David Bowie and Elvis and Freddie Mercury and Elton Johnā€”theyā€™re such showmen. As a kid it was completely mind-blowing. Now Iā€™ll put on something that feels really flamboyant, and I donā€™t feel crazy wearing it. I think if you get something that you feel amazing in, itā€™s like a superhero outfit. Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with. Whatā€™s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. When you take away ā€˜Thereā€™s clothes for men and thereā€™s clothes for women,ā€™ once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play. Iā€™ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the womenā€™s clothes thinking theyā€™re amazing. Itā€™s like anythingā€”anytime youā€™re putting barriers up in your own life, youā€™re just limiting yourself. Thereā€™s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. Iā€™ve never really thought too much about what it meansā€”it just becomes this extended part of creating something.ā€

Fans were excited for this Vogue moment for Harry Styles and rightfully so. We’ve been with him through so much, it’s nice to see him embrace who he is and use his music and platform to remind us all that a little bit of kindnessā€”and winking funā€”can go a long way.

It’s a beautiful day to be a fan of Harry Styles, and it’s also a wonderful time to remember Harry’s song “Treat People With Kindness.”

(image: screengrab from Harry Styles video for “Watermelon Sugar”)

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Rachel Leishman
Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.